Chicago Blackhawks expect Marian Hossa to be out 4 months

New winger had shoulder surgery Friday

July 25, 2009|By Chris Kuc, Tribune reporter

The Marian Hossa waiting game is now officially under way.

The newly signed Blackhawks winger had surgery on his right rotator cuff Friday and if everything goes according to plan with his rehabilitation, Hossa will make his debut with his new team in four months -- two months into the season.

Hossa, who signed a 12-year, $62.8 million free agent contract July 1, played with the injury last season as a member of the Detroit Red Wings and the Hawks knew about the injury when they signed the five-time All-Star to the richest contract in team history. General manager Stan Bowman said Wednesday the team had hoped non-operative rehab would fix the problem, but instead Hossa had surgery Friday morning.

"Marian's surgery [Friday] went as well as we had hoped and he is right on track for the anticipated recovery we had planned on, which is approximately four months," said Michael Terry, the Hawks' team physician who performed the surgery.

Terry said Thursday the injury was a "small right rotator cuff tear" and that the anticipated post-operative recovery period is four months. Sources have said it typically takes four to six months for this type of injury to be completely healed. Boston's Phil Kessel underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and labrum May 21 and is expected to be sidelined six months.

If Hossa returns on Terry's schedule, he would miss the Hawks' first 22 regular season games and could make his debut Nov. 25 against the San Jose Sharks. That game is in the middle of the Hawks' annual circus trip. The first chance for Hawks fans to get a first-hand look at the player who led the Wings with 40 goals last season would be Dec. 1 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the United Center.

If the rehabilitation lingers for six months, Hossa wouldn't return until late January and would miss more than 50 of the Hawks' 82 regular season games.

Hawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz, who signed off on Hossa's deal, said Friday that the team did not give Hossa a physical at the time of the signing.

"Dr. Terry looked at the MRIs before we signed," Wirtz said. "There was still a chance he didn't need an operation. It's a small tear, we knew that. We thought it was 50-50 he could play with it. We knew exactly what it was. It wasn't where it was questionable or it would be severe. Dr. Terry, one of his specialties is shoulders, and he said he'll miss 19 to 20 games. It could be longer, of course. You have to depend on his advice. That's what he's telling us."

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Delayed debut

Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa had surgery on his right rotator cuff Friday. His expected recovery time is four months, but injuries of this type often take up to six months to fully heal.

If Hossa is sidelined four months, he would miss the first two months of the season and return in late November. The winger would miss:

*Oct. 2-3: Season-opening games against the Florida Panthers in Helsinki, Finland.

*Oct. 8: The first game against the Detroit Red Wings, his former team.

*Oct. 10: The home opener against the Colorado Avalanche.

*Nov. 19: The beginning of the annual circus trip that runs through Nov. 28 and spans six games.

If Hossa is sidelined six months, he would miss the first four months of the season and return in late January. The winger would miss:

*Dec. 5: At the Pittsburgh Penguins, another of Hossa's former teams.

*Dec. 13-22: The longest homestand of the season has the Hawks playing five consecutive games at the United Center, including another matchup against the Wings.

*Dec. 31: A New Year's Eve game against Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils at the UC.

*Jan. 16: The beginning of a season-high eight-game road trip that runs through Jan. 30.